futz

futz
American 

[fuhts]
/ f;ts /
verb (used without object)
to pass time in idleness (usually followed by around ).

Futz: Word of the Day

noun
a fool; simpleton.

verb phrase
futz (around) with to handle or deal with, especially idly, reluctantly, or as a time-consuming task.

I spent all day futzing with those file folders.

Etymology
Origin of futz
First recorded in 1905–10; apparently a euphemism for fuck;

Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

If you didn’t want to futz with the word blockchain but did want Bitcoin exposure, you could buy MicroStrategy stock.

From Slate • Feb. 3, 2026

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More important: AI gives you easier access to settings, so you don’t have to futz with menus.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026

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You can futz with the bread, you can gild the cheese, but if the core is bland or watery or vaguely funereal, the whole enterprise collapses.

From Salon • Dec. 4, 2025

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Once again, David Gordon Green and Danny McBride have taken it upon themselves to futz with a 1970s horror classic at the behest of horror ;ber-producer Jason Blum.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 4, 2023

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But as any horror fan can tell you, a comeuppance awaits in horror movies from “Frankenstein” to “Frankenhooker” when god-wannabes futz with what it means to be human by creating life that becomes monstrous.

From New York Times • Jan. 19, 2023